New Delhi: A bank manager and a cashier lost their lives after their SUV became submerged in a flooded underpass in Faridabad on Friday evening. The incident occurred amidst heavy rainfall that has been pounding Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) for the past few days, leading to widespread flooding in various areas.
The victims, Punyashreya Sharma and Viraj Dwivedi, worked at HDFC Bank’s branch in Gurugram’s Sector 31. Sharma served as the bank manager, while Dwivedi was a cashier. On Friday, as they were returning home to Faridabad in their Mahindra XUV700, they encountered the Old Faridabad railway underpass, which was inundated with water. Despite noticing the flooding, the duo seemingly underestimated the water’s depth, leading to the tragic incident.
According to the police, the SUV began to submerge as the men attempted to navigate through the underpass. Realizing the severity of the situation, Sharma and Dwivedi tried to exit the vehicle and swim to safety. Unfortunately, they drowned before they could make it out. A police team arrived at the scene after receiving reports of the SUV being stuck in the flooded underpass. While Sharma’s body was recovered from the vehicle, Dwivedi’s body was found only after an extensive search that lasted until 4 am on Saturday.
The incident has underscored the severity of the current weather conditions in the region. Heavy rains have been lashing Delhi and NCR, with an orange alert (indicating heavy to very heavy rainfall) issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for both Thursday and Friday. The IMD attributed the torrential rain to a depression over southwest Uttar Pradesh, causing significant disruption in daily life.
Numerous areas in NCR have reported traffic jams and severe waterlogging due to the persistent rainfall. In Gurugram, some of the worst-hit locations included Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, and IFFCO Chowk, leading to significant traffic snarls.
Rainfall continued on Saturday, prompting the IMD to issue a yellow alert for moderate rainfall. Delhi has recorded over 1,000 mm of rainfall this month, marking the highest rainfall since 2021 and the second-highest in at least a decade.
The tragic deaths of the bank manager and cashier highlight the dangers posed by flooded underpasses and the need for caution during severe weather conditions. Authorities have urged residents to avoid flooded areas and exercise extreme care while commuting during such adverse weather.